SNAKE HANDLING TRAINING CAMP - Rotaract club of Ponda in association with Animal rescue Squad, Goa
Rotaract club of Ponda in association with Animal rescue Squad organized a full day SNAKE HANDLING TRAINING CAMP today i.e. 18th April 2010. The event saw as many as 80 participants enrolling themselves. The participants were from different age groups, they included children, teenagers, youth and well as seniors.
The day started with screening of movies showing the cruelty towards animals by human beings, after a brief introduction by each of the participants enrolled for the event.
Advocate Surel welcomed the gathering after introducing the dignitaries on the dais comprising of Shri. Paresh Parab, Range Forest Officer; Shri. Amrit Singh, President Animal Rescue Squad and Ashwin kunklienkar, Organiser. Shri. Paresh Parab, spoke on various legal aspects of animal hunting including the penalties imposed on hunters/poachers specially the schedule 1 animals. But he advised the participants not to handle snakes or for that matter any wild animal unless utmost necessary and said the job be better entrusted to the forest officials. He further stated that the forest official and the police were equally empowered to take action against those who break the rules. He stated that as per law "Wild life is Government Property" and it should be protected. He gave tips on handling a snake after rescuing it. He advised to let the rescuing be done only by proper hands entrusted to do the job. Further, he stated that after rescuing a snake it should not be put in a plastic bottle etc and added that one should not change the environment of a snake after its rescued and it should be released in the same environment. He gave examples as to how some rescuers at times after rescuing the snake take them to their houses, show them to family and friend and exhibit it as a matter of pride there by touching them etc and that they even keep the snakes caged in their homes for few days before releasing them as this causes trauma to the animals and may even result in their death. He said that it’s not possible for a lay person to take care of such animals and that they should be entrusted to proper hands like the zoo officials. He gave example of how his zoo officials every day check each and every animal for their tail moments, eye moments, body reflexes, gait etc. He further stated that an animal never wastes its energies and that they conserve it and use their energy very wisely. He gave a few tips that one should follow in case of a reptile creeps in our homes.
He said to put wet cloth around and the snake will creep in as it enjoys dark environment or to just lift the snake with a stick and leave it out, or just by tapping of foot will create vibrations that will make the snake move out. He said in today’s world men have forgotten to live with animals and wants animal rescue squads to rescue them. He gave many examples of how snakes help maintain the ecological balance of a place and also cleared many superstitions about snakes. One of which was that it is stated that a “rat snake brings riches at home” - He explained how the rat snake by eating rats helps in protecting the food grains of farmers, resulting in extra income for the farmers, thereby bringing riches.
He then had a question answer session with the audience. He not only answered questions relating to snakes but to all the questions with regards to the wildlife. Questions ranged from the depleting tiger reserves to the recently found white crow (albino crow) at Altinho Panjim and also the steps taken to stop frog hunting this monsoons. It was amazing to be there to listen to his explanations as he shared his vast knowledge.
He concluded with a quote "Think Globally, Act Locally". He told each of us that we have to act in our own way to protect the wildlife of our country.
This session continued by a presentation done by Shri. Amrut Singh, president Animal rescue squad. He covered a vast range of topics relating to pollution, hunting etc and how it affects the environmental cycle with has a impact on our existence. The morning session was concluded after the presentations done by Shri. Amrut Singh. This was followed by wonderful lunch buffet at the hall for all the participants of the event.
The second and final session was started at 3.00 p.m.This session was presided by Shril Amrut Singh. He started the session by showing a number of video clips of the various snake rescue operations carried out by him and the Animal Rescue Squad. It included rescue of snakes like king cobra, vipers etc. The videos also showed the way in which the various snakes rescued were released. He emphasized that once the snake is rescued their work does not end. Once the snake is rescued the next step is to release back the snake into its environment and that a number of factors have to be taken into account while releasing the snakes like the environment and that also the time of the day when it should be released. This was followed by more presentations which showed the various kinds of snakes, how to identify the different snakes and in what way they vary from each other and the ways to deal with them. I was really amazed at the experienced he possessed. The Animal rescue squad started in 1998 and it was registered in 2001. Tea and biscuits were served in between the session.
After this was the most interesting session of the day which every participant had waited for started. He displayed all the different kinds of snakes and explained about each one individually. Some of the snakes the were shown live included whitekers boa, rate snake, python, vine snake, banded racer, Indian rock python, banded kukri, bronze back tree snake, painted bronze BACK, common wolf snake, venomous saw scaled viper, common vine snake, common cat snake, venomous common trait, He also showed us the difference between the look alike snakes.
Among all the different kinds of snakes that were displayed was the cobra, russel viper, rat snake etc. This was followed by a session on how the First Aid was to be administered to the snake bite victims. He gave us a list of items that should be contained in a first aid kit which was crepe bandage, antiseptic lotion, cotton, cotton bandage, cloth bandage, micro tapes(paper tape), Betadine powder/ointment, soframaicine, pain killer, Burnol, spray pain reliever, medicines against allergy, scissoring blade, Gloucon-D, electral, water etc.
The vote of thanks was given by Advocate Hrudaynath Shirodker which was followed by the distribution of the certificates to the participants by Girish kelekar, architect by profession a very senior member of Animal Rescue Squad
A early morning visit to the ice factory
Shifting stuff to the boat
Mumbai Indians Fan :-)
That's our boat
that the view of the other side of Coco Beach
View of Fort Aguada from the boat
Nilesh, Ramchandra, Hanuman and Rupesh
The view of Cabo Raj Bhawan from the Boat
A little rocky island on the way to the island
Time to Celebrate
Say Cheers!!!!
Thats the island we went to
the view of the island
the view of the island
the view of the island
the view of the island
the view of the island
Time to dive in "Splaasssshhhhh!!!!"
and then swim to the island
time for a Swim
the view of the island
View of the crystal clear waters of the island
at the island
Surya, Hanuman and Nilesh
Ramchandra enjoying a swim
the water of the island
